Khaman

Maluach

Williams is dealing with left foot soreness, ruling him out for Thursday’s game. Oso Ighodaro has served as the backup center for most of this season, and a move into the starting lineup would make him a worthwhile streamer. Khaman Maluach could enter the rotation, but there would not be much to gain from slotting him into fantasy lineups.

Maluach has not been in the Suns’ rotation on most nights, with Mark Williams serving as the starting center and Oso Ighodaro as the backup. The rookie should only be rostered in dynasty leagues.

Maluach is dealing with a sprained right thumb. His availability does not affect redraft leagues, as the rookie has been no higher than third on the Suns’ depth chart. Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro will continue to play the rotation minutes at the center position.

Saturday’s game is the second in as many nights for the Suns, who lost to the Clippers on Friday. Given his injury history and the Suns’ measured approach to ramping up his workload, Williams’ not playing on Saturday is unsurprising. Oso Ighodaro will remain in the starting lineup, with Nick Richards being the primary backup. Williams’ absence may also lead to rookie Khaman Maluach picking up a few rotation minutes.

Williams did not play at all during the preseason, as the Suns’ medical staff gradually ramped up his workload. He’ll be available for Wednesday’s season opener, but there will be a minutes restriction to account for. Ott did not disclose the “target number”, but the limit is understandable, as Williams has played no more than 44 games in any of his three NBA seasons. Oso Ighodaro, Nick Richards and Khaman Maluach are in the running for rotation minutes off the bench, with who gets the call on any given night likely depending on the matchup.

Williams’s ability to scrimmage, even if it was a lighter session from an intensity standpoint, is a positive development for him and the Suns. Due to the center’s injury history, the Suns are taking a measured approach to ramping up Williams’ activity in preparation for the regular season. Phoenix is expected to have a more rigorous session on Saturday, and Williams’ participation (and recovery) will undoubtedly impact his status for the beginning of the season. Oso Ighodaro has been the starter during the preseason and is worth taking a late-round flier on, while rookie Khaman Maluach offers the highest long-term upside.

Maluach did a little bit of everything in this game, which was his best performance of the preseason. He got a three-pointer to go for the first time and set new highs for points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Maluach started with Mark Williams sidelined, and he took advantage of the opportunity. He’ll be a reserve to start the season, but he’ll have a chance to earn the starting job if he continues to perform like this.

Oso Ighodaro got the starting nod at center, and he finished with a 12/5/3/1 line across 20 minutes. Nick Richards also got some run and provided an 11/5/2 line across 16 minutes. Mark Williams will presumably be the Suns’ starting center if healthy, but Phoenix’s frontcourt rotation is a bit murky for now with Williams banged up.

Until Mark Williams (foot) is deemed healthy enough to play, three players will compete for the chance to serve as the Suns’ starting center. Richards, who has come off the bench in the team’s three preseason games, remains in the mix, with Sunday’s performance being his best. However, Oso Ighodaro (12/5/3/1) has been consistently productive as the starter, and lottery pick Khaman Maluach (7/2/0/1) may boast the highest upside. Richards has been a decent streamer in the past, which could also be the case this season. However, with Ighodaro and Maluach in the fold, it will be difficult for him to make his mark.

While the Suns reportedly hope to have Mark Williams (foot) available in time for the October 22 season opener, that isn’t guaranteed. Ighodaro, who appeared in 61 games as a rookie, has started the first two preseason games, which may be a harbinger of what’s to come if Williams cannot play. The second-year forward/center played 22 minutes on Friday and recorded a complete line that included four “stocks.” Nick Richards (9/4/0/1/2) and Khaman Maluach (10/5/2) played 11 and 20 minutes off the bench, respectively. Maluach offers the highest upside of the three, but Ighodaro is also worth taking a late flier on due to the uncertainty surrounding Williams.